Apparatus for use in tying knots in textile threads.



H. FAIRCLOUGH. I APPARATUS FOR USE IN TYING KNOTS IN TEXTILE THREADS. 1,177,579.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. I915.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- H: FAIRCLOUGH.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN TYING KNOTS 1N TEXTILE THREADS. APPLICATION F |LED MAY 18, 1915.

1, 177,579. I Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED erase earn anion.

HUGH FAIRCLOUGH, 0F CHEADLE, ENGLAND.

APP/i1? ATUS FOR USE IN TYING KNOTS IN TEXTILE THREADS.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Application filed May 18, 1915. Serial No. 28,987.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, HUGH FAIRCLOUGH, subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Cheadle, in the county of Chester, England, have invented a certain new and improved Apparatus for Use in Tying Knots on Textile Threads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for use in tying knots in textile threads used for various purposes in the textile industries and particularly in warps, though the invention is equally applicable for tying knots on string, cord and the like for other purposes, the object being particu larly to provide a hand-operated device for tying what is known as a weavers knot.

Prior to the date of my invention it has been proposed to tie weavers knots on yarn and the like by .means of an apparatus comprising a series of three hooked arms suitably carried by shafts and r0- tated by hand-operated means connected toa shaft carrying cams adapted to operate cam levers suitably connected with the shafts carrying the hooked arms, such arms being moved in correct sequence in conjunction with each other to form the knot on the thread ends and being retracted to their normal position by means of springs, the ends of the thread or yarn to be joined being meanwhile held frictionally between spring controlled disks. In a modification of the said apparatus a spirally-hooked arm and a scythe-shaped hooked arm are operated by means of a quadrant and pinion by hand, the said quadrant being adapted to give a rotary as well as an axial movement to the spiral arm and a reciprocatory movement to the scythe shaped arm, the latter being retracted by means of spring, the ends of the yarn to be joined being held in the manner previously described. this last named device the spiral hook is adapted to form a noose by coiling one of the threads to be joined around the exterior of the loop of the other thread which has meanwhile -been formed into such a loop by passing it around a stationary pin. looping of the. last named thread around the pin is efiected by the scythe-shaped arm previously referred to.

This invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts here- My invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows one form of apparatus for carrying it out and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus with aportion of the mechanism removed at the near side to indicate more clearly the parts which lie behind,

Fig. 2 partial side elevation with the parts crating lever of the apparatus, Fig. 8 plan of the upper portion of the apparatus and Figs.

9 to 18 plan and elevation, respectively, in each case to an enlarged scale of the spiral hook or twirler indicating the various operations necessar to effect the tying of the knot on the yarn, thread or the like.

1n accordance with my invention 1 provide a suitable framework at having as part of its construction a handle (5 which can be gripped and conveniently held by one hand of the operator, this framework being designed to carry the whole of the mechanism necessary for tying the knot. The'various parts necessary for effecting the operation of making the weaverls knot are pivoted, mounted or conveniently supported on the aforesaid framework. The main features of this mechanism comprise an arm 0 around which one of the thread ends cl can be formed into a loop 6 as shown in Fig. 2 and be held and suitably guided on such arm, the arrangement being such that the loop is held in an open position as is also indicated in Figs. 9 to 16. This arm is adapted to be moved by convenient means within reach of the fingers of the operatives hand into a convenient position to allow of the knot being tied. The means shown in the drawings comprise a main arm f which is formed in one with the arm 0 or the latter is fixed to it. Arm f is pivoted to frame a g and is slotted at h to engage with a projection 2' on the main operating lever j pivoted to the frame at is and provided at its front end with a fork or loop -m by which it can be actuated as required by the operators thumb while the handle 6 is gripped in one hand. The lever f in Fig. 2 is shown at its extreme position outwardly to allow of thread loop 6 being looped over the extreme right end 0 of arm 0 and to enable the parallel threads of the loop being laid in a position to be gripped between the fixed face n on forked guide 0 and the end of a spring controlled rod 79 slidable in arm 7 at the commencement of its upward or inward mction. The grip can be released when required on a downward motion of lever j, the latter operating the bent end 9 of the rod against the influence of the spring 1'. The outer portion of arm 0 separates the two threads of loop e and is assisted at the inner end of arm 0 for the time being by a fixed arm 8 which is fixed to or forms part of frame a. By lifting lever j upwardly arms 0 and f are moved inwardly until the end 0 of arm 0 arrives at the point marked t in Fig. 2, the loop e being completely open as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

In conjunction with arm 0 I employ what I term a spiral hook or twirler u made of wire, that is to say, this hook is twisted into spiral formation as will be seen already from Figs. 9 to 18 its free end '0 being pointed to allow of its being threaded around and within the loop e of thread previously formed. Just rearwardly of the point of the hook I provide a slitted eye w. The spiral hook is provided with or formed at its center into an axial portion or shaft a: conveniently mounted in a bearing y on a frame a and adapted to be rotated by suitable means such as a rack 2 and pinion 3, the latter being fixed to the shaft :0. Other suitable means such as gear wheels, friction disk and reciprrcatory or rotary surfaces or any ether suitable means may be employed by which the spiral hook can be given a rotary motion for the purpose of passing the pointed end of the hook on one side of the thread loop 6. as in Figs. 9 and 10 across the loop as in Fig. 11 around the other side and between the two threads as in Figs. 11 and 12 forming the loop portion.

In the apparatus shown in the drawings the rotation of the spiral hook is accomplished by the rack and pinion aforesaid, the rack being fixed to or forming part of a sector arm 0 shown separately in Fig. 4, pivoted on center 5 carried by the frame a and provided with a slot 6 on its other arm for engagement with a projection 7 on the operating lever y' as will be seen from Fig. 1. Inthis figure the sector arm is likewise shown in its extreme outward position to the left of the device ready for being moved about its center inwardly by lifting up the operating lever j for the purpose of rotating the spiral hook in the manner previcusly described.

' It is a further feature of the spiral hook that it is thickened rearwardly of its pointed end at 8 so that during the operations referred to it will hold the thread loop more or less open, though this may be attained by laterally displacing some part of the hook or on the other hand the arm 0 previously parts of the device be arranged to corre-.

spond. On the other hand the threads of the loop 6 may be suitably manipulated laterally if required for the purpose of the spiral hook carrying out the operations referred to.

In conjunction with the means previously referred to I employ other means by which the end of the second part of the thread to be knotted is also held in looped formation. These means comprise a slitted guide 12 shown in Fig. 5, one of the arms of the guide being fixed while the other one is movable and normally pulled toward the fixed part by a spring 13. The movable part of the guide is pivoted on a center 14 and can be moved away from the fixed guide by, means of a link d pivoted at its lower end to the operating lever 7' while its upper end lies behind the arm 15 to which the guide is attached as will be seen from the detail view Fig. 6. The upper end of the link is cut away so as to leave projections 16 and 16 so that the slitted guide may be opened to receive the second loop thread when the lever j is at its extreme upward position, closed to grip it on the downward motion, and opened to release the thread when knotted and sheared on reaching the extreme lower position of the lever j. In conjunction with slitted guide 12 I employ slit 9 in a shield or cover 10 through which the second lbop 11 may be passed so as to hook on to the spiral hook as shown in Fig. 13. The second loop thread is first laid in guide 12, taken forwardly over shield 10, passed through the slit 9', downward and backward against a fixed guide or arm e and between knife blades 17 and 19 Fig. 1. The arm 6 is secured to the frame a, and it carries the arm 8 the point of which is overlapped by the free end portion of the loop-holder or arm-0.

Before passing the second loop 11 through the-loop c it is necessary to cut the free end of loop 11 to a definite length. This is accomplished by means of the knife 17 carried on the sector arm 6 Fig. 4, such knife passing to the broken line position at 18 Fig. 1

when the sector arm makes its first motion toward the right. The knife acts in conjunction with a fixed blade 19 Fig. l to accomplish the severance. The severing of the thread takes place as the arm 6 returns from the extreme left hand position toward the right. As already stated the second loop thread is laid on to the pointed end of the spiral hook as shown in Fig. 13 after the latter has been rotated forwardly to the position shown in said frame by the means referred to and just prior to the hook having its motion reversed by pulling down the lever j By manipulation of the sector arm to the left by the downward movement of lever j the spiral hook is given a reverse rotary movement so that the thread forming the second loop is engaged by the slitted eye of the hook and drawn through the'loop eas shown in Fig. 14, the actual tying of the knot or the actual interlooping of the looped ends of the thread being finally completed in the manner shown in Figs. 15 to 18 of the drawings. By a further downward action of the operativesv thumb the loops so interlaced are drawn tight by .operating the arms 7 and a. Simultaneously the free ends of the two loops can be severed to a definite length by convenient means, as for instance the knife 20 .engaging with a knife edge forming part of the guide arm 8, the object both as regards the end of the first loop and the end of the second loop be ing to cut them as short as possible without danger of the knot already tied becoming undone. The knife 20 is provided with a shank 21, as shown in Fig.2, and this shank is secured to the arm f so that the knife 20 oscillates with the arm f, and shears the threads against one edge of the arm s. The second loop thread is released from the gripping d evice in the manner previously stated and both this release and the release of the first thread is carried out at the requisite time. In fact the disposition of the various parts is such that they are all timed to act in relation with each other at the propermoment by the manipulation of the operating lever y.

With the exception of the means for holding the two looped ends of the thread and the spiral hook device -I do not confine myself to any particular detail arrangement of mechanism so long as the functions performed by such mechanism effect the tying together of the ends into the form of a weavers knot. I would have it understood also that the handle portion of the device may be of any suitable character and includes a strap or web of convenient material arranged to be easily secured to the hand. It also embodies a handle which may be so'constructed that the gripping or releasing action of the hand may be adapted to manipulate the mechanism for efi'ecting the tying of the thread ends into a weavers knot.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a knotting machine, a supporting frame provided with a handle, an operat- I position in its slot, a spiral twisting hook journaled in the said frame and adapted to knot the two loops together, and means for .revolving the twisting hook operatively connected with the said lever, said hook being arranged under the said shield and adjacent to its slot, and the said loop-holder being arranged to work in a curved path between the said shield and twisting hook.

2. In a knotting machine, a supporting frame provided with a handle, an operating lever pivoted to the frame and provided with a thumb-piece, an arm pivoted to the frame and provided with a loop-holder, said arm being operatively connected with the said lever, a spring-operated gripping device for holding one loop in osition on the said loop-holder, said gripping device being provided with a slidable stem which is supported by the said arm and provided with a projection for the said lever to engage with to release the loop when the lever is moved downwardly, a shield secured to the said frame and provided with a slot for a loop and having a gripping device for holding the loop in position in its slot. a spiral twisting hook journaled in the said frame and adapted to knot the two loops together, and means for revolving the twisting hook operatively connected with the said lever, said hook being arranged under "the said shield and adjacent to its slot, and the said loop-holder being arranged to work in a. curved path between the said shield provided with a slot for a loop, a spring.

operated gripping device for holding the loop in position in the slot of the said shield, a trip-rod or link pivoted to the operating lever and operatively connected with the last said gripping device n that cent to its slot, and the said loop-holder be- 10 ing arranged to work in a curved path between the said shield and twisting hook.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

HUGH FAIRCLOUGH. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. TAYLOR, FRED KAY. 

